Sunday, December 23, 2012

How to jazz up نخي الخباز (translation: chickpeas from your neighborhood bakery)

Some things never change. No matter how many exotic cuisines there are in Bahrain, sometimes all you crave is a simple traditional Bahraini dinner consisting of hot khubiz khabbaz (baker's bread) and cheese with a side of nikhee (chickpeas); and chay 7aleeb of course.

The nikhee served by the khabbaz is pretty good as it is - served so hot it can actually burn your lap. But sometimes you want to add a bit of your favorite flavor or spice and make it your own.

And that's what I did.

For this 'creation', you will need:
(Serves 2)
200 fils worth of chickpeas
100 fils of khubiz
3 tomatoes, chopped
A bunch of parsley (or coriander if you like a stronger flavor), chopped
Juice of 3 lemons
Cumin, chili powder, saltIf you want to make it liquidy so that it's more of a soup, then add a bit of water as you are cooking.

It's pretty easy to assemble really.

First: Drain the chickpeas real well - the water from the tomatoes will compensate.
Make sure you remove the lil red chilis as they are super hot.

Spot the chili

Next: Place chickpeas in a saucepan on medium heat. Add tomatoes and parsley. Stir and let vegetables marry.

Third: Sprinkle in the spices as the vegetables, umm, marry. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes.

And finally: Add the lemon right before serving and stir. (Hint: Cooking lemon will make it bitter). Serve with khubiz.

About Me

I'm Zain, and I'm from the beautiful island of Bahrain. I am an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach. This blog is an attempt to articulate the cacophony that is my mind. From reviews to recipes, projects to pictures, all within the sphere of my family, my kids, and my life. This is my world.